Car-truck.



N0. 700,810. I Patented May 27, l9U2. E. PECKHAM.

CAB TRUCK.

(Application filed July 16, 1897.)

(No Model.) 4 2 Sheets8heet I.

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No; 700,810. Patented May 27, I902.

E. PECKHAM.

CAR TRUCK.

(Application filed July 15, 1897.)

2 Sheets8heet 2,

(No Model.)

Ike 14201 I MM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR PECKHAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming partpf Letters Patent No. 700,810, dated May 27, 1902.

' Application filed July 15, 1897. Serial No. 644,599. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it nutty concern.-

Be it known that I, EDGAR PEOKHAM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-trucks; and it has for its object to improve the springsupports for four-wheeled cars and to render more efficient certain appurtenances of the truck structure.

The truck is intended more especially for electric street-railway service, though adapted for cable-cars.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in said drawings the same parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows aplan view of a truck embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the brake-shoe and sliding arrangement seen from the rear. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, showing the brake-shoe in dotted lines to illustrate its relation to the sliding arrangement of the brake-bar. Fig. 5 is a detail of the brake-bar. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail on the line 6 6 of Fig.2. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 of Fig.1, and Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 S of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 7 indicates the top chord of the truck-frame, upon which the car-body is adapted to rest; 8, the pedestals; 9, the journal-boxes, and 10 the wheels of the truck. The pedestals 8 are connected together by the side beams 11 and 12, the latter being riveted to the bottoms of the yokes or pedestals and the former riveted to the same below their tops. At each end of the truck are the extended beams 13, which support the spiral springs 14, arranged contiguous to the pedestals, and the leaf or partial-elliptic springs 15. As shown, the end beams 13 are formed integral with the pedestals 5 but they might be separately formed and connected to the pedestals. Below the end beams 13 are the under truss-beams 16, connected to the bottoms of the pedestals and extending upwardly to the end beams 13, where they are riveted.

This under truss-beam is shown as cast integral with the pedestal; but it may be formed separately and riveted to the bottom of the pedestal. This feature of under truss-beam between the bottom of the pedestal and the extended end beam is characteristic of my truck and is embodied in a number of patents heretofore granted to me. Spiral springs 17 are arranged within the wheel-base-that is, on the truck-frame between the wheels and contiguousto the pedestalsfor furnishing support to the car-body at those points. The bolts which are surrounded by the spiral springs 14 are connected at the top to the upper'chord 7 of the truck-frame and extend through the arms of the pedestals and end beams 13 and through the under truss-beams 16 andare connected to the longitudinal rods or beams 18, which are thus'suspended beneath the lower members of the side frames. These rods 18 are also sustained by the vertical rods19, connected thereto and passing through the pedestals and connected to the upper chord 7. The arms of the pedestals, to which the under truss-beams 16 are connected, are provided with sockets forrreceiving spiral springs 20 to cushion the'upward thrust of the vertical rods connecting longitudinal rods 18 with the upper chord 7 of the truck-frame.

Bolted to the under surface of the upper chord 7 are brackets 21, having a socket to receive a spiral spring 22, which seats in the socket 23, which is riveted to the end beam 13 and which receives and holds the leaf or partial elliptic spring 15, as seen in Fig. 2. Said bracket 21 is also provided with a depending portion 21, which is adapted to slide within a groove formed in the upper portion of a bracket 24, riveted to end beam 13, contiguous to spiral spring 14. Said bracket 24 is adapted to receive the horizontal end of the leaf-spring 15, thus providing a socket therefor. The opposite end of the leaf-spring, curved in the elliptic form, extends upward and enters a suitable socket 25, bolted to the upper longitudinal chord 7 or the car-body sill. The socket is so formed that the upper end of the curved spring enters snugly into it, but is free to move slightly therein in the direction ofthelength of the car, the spring not being bolted or otherwise positively connected to the car-body or car-sill.

It is understood, of course, that one of the leaf-springs 15 and the appliances associated with it will'be placed at each corner of the truck-frame. There is thus provided the requisite bearing for the car-body beyond the truck-frame, thus avoiding longitudinal rocking of the car. Ihave found this arrangement to work admirably in practice.

The leaf or partial elliptic spring 15 at each end of the truck-frame is so located that its point'of attachment to the end beam 13 is the same as the point of attachment of the under truss-beam 16 to said end beam 13, so that when the load of the car is received beyond the ends of the truck-frame, Where the brack-.

ets 25, which receive the extended ends of leaf-springs 15, are located, the strain is transmitted through said leaf-springs, through the brackets 23, to the under truss-beams 16, and thence to the lower horizontal beams 12, which form continuations of the under truss-beams 16 through the interposed pedestals 8. By this construction a continuous truss is" afforded at each side of the truck-frame, which extends beyond the normal ends of thetruckframe to the points of attachment of the leafsprings 15 to their brackets 25. In other words, the extended leaf-springs 15 serve to lengthen the truss comprising the elements mentioned, including the-parts 16 and 12.

Rigidly connected to the side beams 11 and extending transversely of the truck are the beams 26. To these beams, at suitable distances from their points of connection with the side beams 11, are secured rigid horizontal brackets 26, which receive the spiral springs 27, one above and the other below the central arm of the bracket, said springs being confined in place by a bolt with a nut at top andbottom,a'sshown.- These spring=equipped brackets 26 support the motor-suspension bars 28, as seen in Fig. 1. To the bar 28, one for each motor, is riveted the plate 30, which is provided with an opening coinciding with the opening in bar 28 and adapted to receive the nose of the motor. This plate furnishes a reinforcement for the bar 28, affording additional strength to the same and also anextended bearing for the nose of the motor. The spring-supporting brackets 26 sustaining the bar 28, furnish an efficient flexible support for the motor.

The braking appliances are of the usual ap proved type except that the brake-beam carrying the brake-shoes is adapted to operate upon the gravity system. The brake-beam is indicated at 31 and the brake-shoes at 32, the latter being bolted to said beam near its ends, as seen in Fig.3. The extreme ends of the brake-beam are formed as best seen in Fig. 5-that is, with an incline or slope from the back edge to the front edge, thus bringing the front edge on a lower plane than the back edge. To the extended end beam 13 contiguous to the brake-shoes there is bolted one at each corner of the truck-framethe bracket 33, provided at its bottom with a flange having a groove or opening adapted to receive the end 3l of thebrake-beam, the clearance beingsuflicient to permit the ends of said beam to readily slidein said grooves when the brake is applied or released. Bolted to a rib of bracket 33 is the fiat spring 24, which extends downwardly below the plane of the brake-beam and contiguous to the beam. This spring is for the purpose of giving impetus to the brake-beam when the brakes are released, so that the ends of the brake-beam wilL more Treadily slide back in the supporting-brackets. It will be understood that'when the braking appliances are applied the brake-beam is forced against the springs 34, placing them under tension, the releasing of the braking appliances permitting said springs to exert the requisite force to quickly move the brake-beam and start it in receding. By this arrangement of brake mechanism I obtain a strongand compactconstruction and prevent lost motion and rattling'of the parts. 4

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is no.

1. In a car truck; the combination with a side frame, comprising pedestals, a beam connecting such pedestals together at or about their vertical centers, end extension-beams, and under truss-beams connected to the pedestals and supporting said end extensionbeams, each of the said end extension-beams being provided with sockets upon its upper surface; of a top chord or sill, provided with a socket on its under side; a partial elliptic spring the rear end of which is secured in the sockets on the end extension-beam and the front end of which is inserted in the socket on the top chord or sill; and brackets or stops projecting upwardly from said end extensionbeam and downwardly from said top chord or sill, and adapted to engage and cooperate to prevent longitudinal motion of said top chord or sill with reference to said side frame.

2. In a car'truck, the combination with a side frame comprising pedestals, beams 11 and 12 connecting the pedestals together, end extension-beams, and under truss-beams connected to the pedestals and supporting said end extension-beams of a top chord or sill; partial elliptic springs socketed on said end extension-beams near the points of attachment of the under truss-beams to the end extension-beam; sockets on the top chord adapted to receive the extended front ends of the said partial elliptic springs and sockets on the said end extension-beams adapted to receive the rear ends of the said partial elliptic springs, whereby the strain of the load at the ends of the truck is transmitted through said springs, under truss-beams and lower horizontal connecting-beam 12, thus affording a continuous truss extending beyond the normal ends of the truck-frame and brackets or stops projecting upwardly from said end extension-beams and downwardly from said top adapted to slide in the groove'of said socket,

the front end of said spring being curved in elliptic form and extending outward and suitably connected to the sill.

4. The combination with the top chord or sill and the extended end beam, of a partial elliptic spring socketed on the end beam, a socket on the end beam to receive the rear portion of said spring and provided with a groove in its vertical face, a bracket secured to the sill and having a depending portion which slides in the groove of said socket and a socket attached to the top chord to receive the extended front end of the partial elliptic spring and which is adapted to slide in said socket, substantially as set forth.

5. In a car-truck, a beam for supporting the nose of the motor having a strap or casting 30 riveted thereto and provided with an opening coinciding with the opening in the beam, whereby said beam is reinforced and an elongated bearing for the nose of the motor is provided.

6. The combination with the side beams of the truck-frame and cross-beam 26 rigidly secured in pockets on said side beams, of a pair of brackets secured to said cross-beam, and a motor-suspension bar 28 spring-supported on said brackets and having riveted thereto the plate or casting 30 having an elongated opening coinciding with the opening in' the bar 28, substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county and State of New York, this 14th day of July, 1897.

EDGAR PECKHAM; Witnesses:

CHAS. S. ACKLEY, D. F. KELLY. 

